JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Update: The University of North Florida confirmed to First Coast News the suspect is not a current student enrolled at the university.
A woman was arrested Monday on multiple charges as she is accused of ramming a car into the front doors of the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice facility numerous times, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Meriem Ochoa, 32, faces charges of driving under the influence, multiple counts of driving under the influence which resulted in property damage and/or personal injury, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, criminal mischief of more than $1,000 and resisting an officer without violence.
According to an arrest report, JSO says an officer responded to the Jags practice facility, the Miller Electric Center, after receiving a call from a security officer who works at EverBank Stadium, accusing Ochoa of ramming into the facility.
When the officer arrived on scene, they noticed a broken gate with paint transfer on it that was consistent with a vehicle ramming through it, according to the report. And when the officer went through the gated area, JSO says they observed a silver SUV that had driven from the parking lot, up a paved sidewalk path and into the two glass double doors of the facility.
The officer states in the report that after observing that the SUV was still running, they executed a rear block on the SUV with their police car. After that occurred, the report states that the officer pointed their issued firearm at the driver side of the SUV and asked Ochoa to exit.
Ochoa briefly looked at the officer while still inside the SUV, as the report states that "the reverse lights on the vehicle activated," and began to "ram" against the officer's police car. Once the officer got back in their police car, put the car in drive, and pushed Ochoa's SUV further into the glass and metal doors to "remove all room for the vehicle to ram free," Ochoa then exited the SUV, according to the report.
Another officer who responded to the scene, says that Ochoa quickly exited the driver's seat of the SUV and then attempted to flee on foot, the report states. After the two officers chased and tackled Ochoa, the report states, she was then taken into custody. JSO says one of the officers was taken to UF Health after suffering an injury to his left arm when he tackled Ochoa.
"As I looked at her [Ochoa], her eyes were bloodshot/watery/glassy and she appeared to be forcing her eyes to be wide open," one officer said in Ochoa's arrest report. "Her speech was low, mumbled, and incoherent and many times during our conversation, I had to ask her to repeat herself because I couldn't hear or understand her."
JSO says Ochoa told the arresting officer that she was "trying to get in [the Miller Electric Center] to go to school." Ochoa's arrest report lists her as a UNF student and states that she denied drug or alcohol usage to officers. However, UNF confirmed to First Coast News that Ochoa is not a current student.
The report also states that Ochoa caused approximately $25,000 in damage in the incident. The Miller Electric Center's exterior doors are currently boarded up with wood.
A Jaguars spokesperson issued the following statement to First Coast News on Tuesday:
"The Miller Electric Center was damaged last night in what we understand to be an isolated incident and, thankfully, none of our staff or security were in that portion of the building. We are currently gathering information. We are mindful that there is an ongoing investigation and will have no further comment.”
JSO says an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
